When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Isaiah Thomas as part of their trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers on the day of the deadline, they faced two main questions. The first was Thomas’ health, and the second was whether or not he would accept a role off the bench.
After all, the Cavaliers traded the former MVP candidate after just 15 games. Thomas hardly looked his usual self, which wasn’t much of a surprise considering the time he missed while recovering a labrum tear and impingement in his hip.
Thomas got on the same page with Lakers head coach Luke Walton to serve as the team’s sixth man, and had flashes where he appeared to be rounding back into form. But over the weekend Thomas was ruled out for the remaining two games on the Lakers’ road trip.
He’s now seeking further medical opinion on his troublesome hip, according to Bill Oram of the Southern California News Group:
Isaiah Thomas is not with the team in Detroit. He is on his way to meet with doctors to evaluate options for his hip.
— Bill Oram (@billoram) March 26, 2018
The Lakers haven’t given any indication it will be the case, but if Thomas is continued to be dogged by the sore hip, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if he doesn’t play in their remaining nine games.
Though, considering the 29-year-old will become a free agent this summer, he presumably would want to play through discomfort if the hip permitted. Thomas is averaging 15.6 points and five assists in 17 games (one start) for the Lakers.
In addition to not ruling out a reunion with the Boston Celtics, he voiced a desire to re-sign with the Lakers once free agency begins.